Chapter 52: [Chapter 052] You'll be sorry
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A moment of silence passed. His eyes, always cold and sharp, lowered, and he leaned closer to the open window.
"Say it again. Are you admitting your relationship with the Second Prince in front of me?"
"Look around you, Your Grace. Unlike you, a former royal who lives outside the palace, I'm more interested in His Highness, the Second Prince, who lives in this magnificent palace."
His eyes, which had started to waver when I mentioned the word 'Princess', fluctuated violently as time passed. I was scared, but I held back. Instead, I raised my nose even higher and smiled as if to provoke him. I knew that calling him a former royal was a sensitive topic. As the half-brother of the Emperor, he had dedicated his entire life to gaining the Emperor's trust, avoiding that very label. So it was only natural for him to react that way.
'Say it.'
Even if it was a lie to coax me.
'Tell me you'll give me the position of Duchess.'
You won't back down until you get this Blier, will you? That's why you're putting up with this, isn't it? My eyes felt sore, and the back of my neck ached. I must have been staring at him with wide, bloodshot eyes. His dark eyes, which looked like he had lost his mind, rippled like a black sea before becoming calm. I stubbornly watched his lips, which seemed to be about to say something. From Noebian's mouth, who was looking down at me, came the words I had been waiting for.
"...You'll regret it."
It was just those words that cut through the cold silence and the gaze devoid of any affection.
"You'll definitely regret treating me this way."
His voice seemed to crawl on the floor rather than through the air. Noebian gently removed his hand from the windowsill, which he had been gripping so tightly. He stared at me for a long time and then turned away as if he had no regrets. I didn't take my eyes off his retreating figure until his hair, neatly tied back, was completely out of sight. Yona, who had been watching me breathlessly from a distance, ran towards me.
"Are you alright, Madam? Did you fight?"
"...Let's go."
Yona, who looked at me nervously, got into the carriage and called for the coachman. The noisy sounds of the party faded into the distance, but Noebian's words followed me like they were stuck to the wheels of the carriage. Regret?
'I've already regretted it enough.'
The useless regret of wishing I had never met you.
I spent the rest of the evening flipping through Blier's diary. The short passages I had translated from time to time were nothing more than meaningless scribbles, and I felt deflated. Madame Leblea visited me early in the morning and dressed me up specially, and I entered the palace much earlier than usual. Today was the day I had planned to decorate the party hall, so I had a lot of things to check early in the morning.
"If the Duke knew you were coming to the palace so early, he would laugh at you, Father."
I stopped abruptly at the entrance to the Crown Princess's reception room and hid myself.
"That bastard must have gone to Elacon for a reason. He doesn't want to agree to repeal the law. I can't believe I was fooled!"
Duke Castagna was in the Crown Princess's palace. He must have arrived before me because I could tell from his back that he was breathing heavily.
"Wasn't that expected? Noura, close the door. Father, I don't expect you to request an audience, but how can you dismiss all your attendants when you come to see the Crown Princess of a country? At least close the door properly. I have a lot of things to worry about, like overseeing the reception for the envoys."
Bang
"Your Highness... I... about this opportunity..."
The door closed, and Duke Castagna's enraged voice came from the reception room, stopping and starting. I tried to listen closely, but it was useless. I could only see the Duke's shadow moving back and forth through a tiny gap. What were they talking about? Why would Duke Castagna, who had nothing to do with the reception for the envoys, rush from the west to the palace early in the morning?
'Duke Castagna wants to repeal the law that Noebian doesn't want to repeal.'
That was all I could infer from the short conversation between Doris and the Duke. Bang!
"Anyway, Father. I'm very busy today... Blier?"
Doris was startled to see me standing there when the reception room door suddenly opened. I greeted her as if I had just arrived.
"Your Highness, why don't you go to the banquet hall? It's decorated beautifully, and I thought you should be the first to see it."
"Oh, alright. Did you hear that, Father?"
Doris took my arm as if it was a good opportunity and led me away. I glanced back at the reception room, and Duke Castagna was there, his face flushed with excitement. He widened his eyes when our gazes met. I quickly turned away and walked faster.
'So Duke Castagna knows my face too.'
Just like Annie, he recognized me as soon as he saw me. If there was anyone I had to watch out for the most while staying by Doris's side, it was that Duke.
***
The second day of the event was more successful than the first. Unlike the first day, which was decorated with all sorts of jewelry, the second day was decorated with Eastern-style flowers that I had arranged from the entrance of the hall to the main seat. Elacon was a wealthy country thanks to the vast amount of gems buried in its barren land. It was understandable why Noura, who had even said she was staking her life on this, wanted to build relationships here. More than 90% of the jewelry in the jewelry store that Noura ran came from Elacon. The Elaconian envoys, who were experts in jewelry, praised the decorations that Noura had prepared the day before. But that was all.
"Today's atmosphere is quite different from yesterday."
The interpreter, who had been listening to the envoys, turned to us with a bright expression. I remembered how Elacon and my homeland, Pyreta, had bought and sold jewels and flowers to each other. It seemed like my memory had served me well. People from a country where flowers were more precious than jewels would be indifferent no matter how expensive the jewels were.
"After the party, we've prepared a place where you can take the flowers we used for decoration."
When I pointed to the servants waiting at the entrance of the party hall, the interpreter quickly conveyed my message. The envoys couldn't hide their sparkling eyes and quickly said something.
"Best... we've ever... visited... grateful..."
It seemed like they were saying it was the best place they had ever visited and that they were grateful. When some of them looked at me carefully as if they remembered me, I spoke in Elaconian that I had prepared.
It's all thanks to the Crown Princess.
The Elaconian words, though clumsy, were delivered accurately, and the people nearby quietly applauded. When I explained to Doris what I had just said, she looked at me with wide eyes, as if I had done a good job. Bardenal, the Crown Prince, who was having a conversation with the head of the envoy at the highest seat, called Doris to his side.
"Let's raise a toast to the endless glory of the Empire and Elacon."
Everyone at the party raised their champagne glasses at the same time. When the Crown Prince praised Doris for successfully preparing the welcome party, the Elaconians burst into applause. Doris, of course, and the Crown Prince, who must have been well informed about who had organized this welcome party, turned their gaze to me at the same time.
I raised my champagne glass and nodded to the young royal couple. I knew for a fact that Jimsker, Noebian's faithful dog, was watching me.
"Countess, you were truly magnificent today."
"Knight Neil. You're always so hard-working."
"If I hadn't paid attention to protecting the Countess, our dear... Second Prince would have scolded me."
Neil, who was waiting outside the hall, naturally escorted me and spoke casually.
"Is His Highness busy?"
"Well, rather than being busy... he's coordinating an important mission with His Majesty."
"Is it related to the disappearance of Baroness Kuroseda?"
When I mentioned the rumor I had heard, Neil hesitated before speaking.
"He'll tell you himself. If I say anything, I'll really lose my head, so please pretend you don't know."
Although it was a playful remark, his voice was filled with sincerity. I nodded quietly and got into the carriage that was taking me home. As I looked out the window, everything seemed like a dream.
'I never thought that the Elaconian I learned would be used like this.'
He'll realize that he can't control me as he pleases. He'll see that I'm no longer in the shadows, that I'm being recognized, and that I'm gaining things on my own. If he continues to be so harsh with me, nothing will change. I saw Jimsker, who had witnessed everything today, quietly disappear. What will Noebian do now? I felt extremely tired after the big event. I wanted to go back to the Duke's mansion as soon as possible and rummage through his office and my own without anyone stopping me.
'I want to get out of this... quickly.'
I want to end this exhausting fight.
'I never want to lose you again.'
'I can do anything for that.'
Roardnes' voice, who had come to me in the midst of my busy schedule to say those words, kept coming to mind. When this exhausting fight is over, will I be able to envision a future with Roardnes? As the carriage stopped, I got out feeling a little refreshed, but the manor was strangely quiet. Neil, who had escorted me, opened the door with a wary look, sensing the unusual atmosphere. The house was brightly lit but had a dark atmosphere. The servants were gathered together and whispering. I had a bad feeling. Had Noebian come?
"Madam! Madam!!"
Maggie, who had been among the servants, jumped out and grabbed my skirt.
"Your master, your master..."
"What's wrong with the Count?"
One of the knights who had been guarding Count Acacia came out from among the servants with a wounded face, and Maggie's voice grew louder.
"I'm sorry, Madam."
"What happened?"
"Count Acacia, while inspecting the estate..."
"Was there a problem?"
"The wheel of the carriage came off, and he fell off a cliff."
"!"
I was too surprised to even open my mouth. The knight, with a heavy expression, opened his mouth again with difficulty.
"We haven't found the body... but he must be dead."
The servants' sighs filled the room. Count Acacia was dead.
'You'll regret it.'
Even though the knight who had accompanied the Count said it was definitely an accident, I wondered why.
'You'll definitely regret treating me this way.'
It was as if the damned Noebian Trovika's voice was gnawing at my ears.
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